Family Adventures in New Zealand

AdventureSmith Explorations AdventureSmith Explorations is the global leader in small ship, adventure cruise vacations. Aboard smaller yachts and vessels, families are free of the bells-and-whistles distractions and onboard diversions of large vessels. The focus instead is on guided off-ship adventure excursions such as hiking, sea kayaking, wildlife viewing, and cross-cultural opportunities.

BACKROADS
Join Backroads, the world's #1 active travel company, for a family trip of a lifetime.

Bill Dvorak's Rafting & Kayak Expeditions - 719-539-6851

THE WORLD OUTDOORS - 800-488-8483

Wildland Adventures - 800-345-4453

AdventureSmith Explorations - 800-728-2875
Asia Transpacific Journeys - 303-443-6789
Backroads - 510-527-1555
Bicycle Adventures - 360-786-0989
BikeHike Adventures - 888-805-0061
Black Water Rafting -
Butterfield & Robinson - 416-864-1354
Classic Journeys - 858-454-5004
Down Under Answers - 425-895-0895
General Tours -
Global Adrenaline - 815-464-8049
International Expeditions - 205-443-5866
JOURNEYS INTERNATIONAL - 800-255-8735
Mountain Travel Sobek - 510-594-6000
The Adventure Company, Australia - Ph: (61) (07) 4051 4777
Thomson Family Adventures - 800 262-6255
Uncharted Outposts International - 404-888-0909
Wairere Boulder - 64 9 401 99 35
World Discovery Tours - 360-376-3129
World Of Diving -

Articles

New Zealand's South Island (The Hobbit's Habitat)

By Hilary Achauer

From walking on the beach with penguins, swimming with the worlds smallest, rarest dolphins, to exploring a parrot-filled jungle with its own glacier, there are almost unlimited kid-friendly activities in the South Island.

Adults will be equally captivated as they sip their way through award-winning wineries, shop in Queenstown, and experience the country's mix of Maori, Pacific Island, European, and Asian cultures. The city of Christchurch is the gateway to the South Island, and a perfect starting point for an exploration of the island. Founded in 1850, Christchurch was a planned Church of England settlement and is often called "the most English city outside England." Take time to walk through the city. One-eighth of Christchurch is devoted to public parks, reserves and recreation grounds, and the rest of the city is filled with Victorian and Gothic architecture, stone buildings, lush green parks, and flower-filled gardens. Be sure to indulge in a wonderfully local custom-punting along the Avon River. Relax in the historic wooden boats, and watch the Christ College school boys in their black and white uniforms and straw boaters as they bicycle home from school.

The world-renowned Botanical Gardens are worthwhile even for travelers who don't have an interest in plants. Sweeping lawns, fragrant rose gardens, and some of the oldest exotic trees in New Zealand provide spectacular displays year-round. <<more>>

New Zealand Adventure Activities

By Tim A Alpe

Aotearoa is a fantastic place for adventure travel. This is because of the favorable outlook New Zealand has for outdoor activity.

The country offers Nirvana when it comes to natural beauty and the temperate climate is best suited for adventure travelers to gain the most out of their holiday.

New Zealand also offers the most diverse range of adventure activities in terms of catering to people of different adrenaline levels. There is room for both simple and soft activities as well as extreme adventure.<<more>>